


Safe Home

by Loki_NB



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Campaign 2 (Critical Role), Nonbinary Character, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:54:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29594484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loki_NB/pseuds/Loki_NB
Summary: Added a dnd character to the party, even after everything, seems he's still held some secret back. are their reasons valid?(Toph goes by He/They pronouns)





	Safe Home

Essek knew Toph didn't trust him, never had. Form the moment they met when Essek was assigned their point of contact, Toph never trusted him.  
It didn't matter though, well, back then it didn't, when all he cared about was knowledge and power, but now, he found he cared for someone other than himself.

After leaving the M9 on the boat, his head swarmed with new thoughts and feelings. Concerns of assassins on both sides, as well as overwhelming grief of what he had done. With little word from the M9, he decided to take himself away from immediate concerns and assing himself in an outpost in Eiselcross. Thing's weren't much better, he was still constantly looking over his shoulder, and when he wasn't burying himself in paperwork, he was trying to cope with emotions he never felt before.

'How long had it been since he'd last seen them, spoke to them' he found himself questioning, would he ever get a chance at redemption. He wouldn't blame them if they ever wanted to see him again, he just hoped he'd have a chance to apologize before his time ran out.

He didn't expect Jester to invite herself in his head, but he was so glad to hear her voice, though.  
She sounded, worried, and it was obvious she was hiding something, probably information they didn't trust him with, but it was fine, he didn't deserve it.  
Still, he couldn't hide a slight smile from hearing her.

He found himself relieved when the M9 returned,  
though they looked exhausted, there were bags under their eyes and stiffness in their shoulders, he also noticed all of the M9, was wearing similar medallions as Caleb, some hidden, some on display.  
There were a few new faces with them,  
Jester cheerfully introduced her new companions, Ulla, Mori and Saffron.  
Ulla was an elven man, longbow on his back and sharp eyes, Mori had an array of weapons of him, while he wore a longsword on his back, he had numerous daggers on his, and two axes on either side of his belt.  
Mori carried nothing but themselves but looked more intimidating than all the others.  
Jester had said they were workers of her dad.

Toph arrived in a new outfit, a black high collar jacket, jet black buttons running from the left shoulder down to the right him and dark yellow thread detailing on the shoulders and boarders and a dark crimson cloak over his right shoulder, going down to his hip. 

He had a few people with him, which he introduced as Jamile, Aaron, Tibi, Kahl and Urank. 

Jamiel was a white-skinned tiefling, with shot nubby horns, they wore a white winter dress.

Aaron was stone genasi, grey skin peeking out of white  
wrappings and a long cloak, much like Esseks, obscuring the body.

Tibi was a gnome, black hair tied back into a short stub ponytail, they had a fur vest on, with vials and bottles strapped around them.

Kahl was a Goliath, even in the Dynasty, Essek saw very few of them. They wore a fur jacket, slightly unbuttoned, showing his grey skin underneath, as well as fur boots and thick pants. They carried a large side bag as well as a greatsword on their back, but not much else.

Urank was a Bugbear, which did catch Essek off a bit, though he didn't show it. Urank wore thick fur hide armour and a large fur cape. He carried a great sword of his own, as well as a short sword on his side.  
Toph explained they were from his Kingdom, assigned to him to help in any way.

Essek remembered Toph said he wasn't from the Empire, but any further enquiry he made, Toph dodges around the answer.  
They had asked for a more 'private' conversation, and began leading them back to his quarters, he started to worry when Tophs group started to follow, but after a quick work, in an unknown language, he was relieved to find the extra parties were remaining behind.

Entering his quarters again, he fortified the room with a silence spell, assuring everyone, that no-one outside could hear them.  
He waited for them to start the conversation.  
There was some tension before Fjord started "Well, uh, Toph, you said you had something to tell us all, why don't you start?"

Tophs smiled "Of Course, well first of all then..." he rummages around in his bag, before pulling out a medium-sized package, tossing it to Essek with a quick "Heads-up".  
Essek was, curious to say the least, but also confused, fumbling to catch the package before giving a curious glace, "It's a fail-safe. I must admit I think you would be better off with a chance at redemption, rather than living in a cell or executed. And last we talked you were so on edge, with the fear of assassins from either side. so I decided to help out. If you open it I can explain it."

Essek slowly, and carefully, unwrapped the parcel. Inside was a medallion that was about the size of his palm and carved on it was a pair of wings with clasped hands in between. There was also a scroll, which Essek recognized to be for teleportation.

"The medallion is a two-in-one" Toph explained, "Not only will it prove you are my guest, but once a day, it can counteract a counterspell, so when you use the scroll to teleport to my home, hopefully, you won't be stopped."

Essek sat stunned, by the trust Toph was giving him but also by the blessings given to him by the kingdom he came from.  
"What" Jester squealed, snapping Essek out of his thoughts "Toph are you like, secretly a prince or something? how'd you get such cool stuff?" Jester asked a question that seemed to be on everyone's mind.

Toph chucked "Oh no, I'm not that glamorous, I just- I earned a few favours" Toph coughed, a nervous glanced shared with Caleb before quickly moving on "Anyways, anyways, I'm not leaving the rest of you out." He said pulling various parcels out and handing them off to the M9. Nearly everyone got the same package, a medallion as well as a scroll, except for Beau, who simply got a medallion, "Sorry beau, but, uh, you need a bit of magic to use the scrolls".

Beau huffed "just gotta make sure I'm with one of you then," she said inspecting the emblem "Alright, Shall we plan our attack?"


End file.
